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What the Heck is an Aperture?

Many of you do no need this level of explanation (and could likely teach me a thing or two) but for those of you who are new at this photography stuff, I’d like to direct you to my “What the Heck is an Aperture” series here on PW Photography. If you’re trying to ingest and comprehend the whole aperture/shutter speed/exposure ballgame (which took me months and months to understand), I hope this series will strip it down and help you grasp things a little better:

Carol – many point and shoot cameras have settings that will get aperture to where you want it, even if it doesn’t have any manual options. (Though many do now, under the setting PASM). For example, a macro setting or portrait setting (often represented with a flower and a person’s silhouette) would open your aperture up to accommodate a close up (giving you the nice blurry background known as bokeh). Also, they often have a landscape setting (often shown as a mountain range) which would close your aperture down to allow you to have a long distance in focus (such as you would want when shooting landscapes). Having a camera with manual options is wonderful, but if you don’t, you can often make do with the settings already on the camera. I did this for years with a point & shoot Kodak.

Tracy Lynn

Yeah! Perfect timing. My new DSLR will be arriving soon. I ordered it off B & H photo’s website (which I heard about here) -not only did I save $50 off the best price I had seen but it was free shipping AND it shipped within probably 2 hours of me placing my order. I’m giddy and can’t wait to learn all this stuff -starting with aperture (not sure even how to pronounce that :))!

http://littlehouseinparadise.blogspot.com Sherri B.

I need as much help as I can get…I have been dreading moving forward, thanks for the info and a little nudge.

Have a good weekend.

DeeDee

This series of posts is what finally got the concept through my head. Thank you for helping me to be a better photographer!

http://www.lettersfromtheloft.com mulberrytreehouse

This series was one of the first to help me switch my camera out of “auto” last fall. I’m still stuck in aperture priority mode, though. The jump to manual seems huge! Thanks for the reminder – I’ll go back and review these posts.

http://dipperanch.blogspot.com/ Cindy

I read your aperture series last summer before going to Tetons for photography workshop. It really helped me a lot. Then I went to Ken Rockwell’s site and read his description for every single button and option on my model Nikon and it really helped me feel comfortable with my camera. I need to go back and figure out how to lock focus.

http://www.ryandeannapoulsen.blogspot.com Deanna

I am loving this. Thank you so much! I have a canon EOS 40D that I’m FINALLY learning how to work, the RIGHT way. 🙂 I spent an hour outside playing with it the other day, and these pages have helped me A LOT! THANKS AGAIN!

That series was one of the first I read that actually made sense to me. I still don’t have it down (I need more time to play with my camera, but my stooopid job keeps interfering), but re-reading it always jogs my memory. And I’m also a much better Photoshop user than photographer at this point. I’d love to get to the point where my Photoshop use is mostly for cropping and not fixing.

Katie

Unfortunately, I need this level. I have a new camera and a new blog and I’m overwhelmed. Thank you so much for these tips!

http://www.jessicamarchetti.com jessica marchetti

ree – would you mind sharing your settings for the photo above? i’m always so interested to see that!

http://www.lemonademakinmama.com Lemonade Makin Mama

I just wanted to thank you for these posts…. they have been incredibly helpful, and I’ve been shooting completely in manual for over a month now! It’s been a lot of fun to learn by practicing!

Blessings,
Sasha

Cowgirl Wannabe

You are the best man!!!

😀

Lisa McCully

Ready to learn……………..aperture!

http://www.bluemoonranch.net linda

awesome. simply awesome. I took an on-line photography class and learned more in your blog than in that whole flippin class! I think the difference is you do not talk like a professional photographer, you talk like a real person. thanks so much. finally I get it!

linda

Carol in PA

Thanks Gina! I’m going to explore the possiblities of my trusty point-and-shoot a little further 🙂 It’s seems as though Miz Boo has posted some handy tips along these lines in the past as well.

http://www.sycamorestirrings.blogspot.com katy

Thanks for bringing back the basics – you must have read my mind. I just took a photography class but still don’t “really” get it. I’ll be reading this series this weekend. Thanks again for not forgetting about us newbies. xo